# Packing That Bowl



## gantonio45 (Jan 30, 2016)

Just wanted to drop in and share an experience that I had today smoking my pipe.

Being fairly new, when it comes to packing my pipe, I have stayed with the three layer method up until now. Over the last couple weeks I began to notice that my pipe would go out more frequently than usual. Now, I know there is nothing wrong with one's pipe going out, (for all you other newish pipe smokers out there, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG IF YOUR PIPE GOES OUT THROUGHOUT YOUR SMOKE SESSION).

So today, I said to myself, "self, you've been smoking long enough now, maybe you should try some different techniques, what do you have to lose."

When smoking my pipe today, I used what is known as the "Frank Method." and I have to say, for each bowl that I smoked (3 today) I had amazing results in terms of the longevity of the light. I did have 3 bowls, 3 different types of tobacco, three different pipes. And, pretty much the same result! One light after the charring light, one light at the half-way mark of the bowl, and two lights near the bottom as it got closer to the dottle! Overall, I am not ashamed to say this is easily 4-5 LESS lights than I usually have to do.

So, I will keep exploring various other techniques, and I will keep improving that three-layer method; but so far, this "Frank Method" might just be on to something!

What technique do y'all use when packing your smoke??


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## UBC03 (Nov 18, 2015)

That's pretty much the method I use. But i tamp between lights. But I'm new so take that for what it's worth. Didn't know it had a name. Thanks


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

I have experimented a lot with packing and finally came up with a way that incorporates a little of each. I do the 3 step pack....but I twist the tobacco as I put it in the bowl. This helps "tie" the strands of tobacco together so that when it burns it will help ignite the strand it's "tied" with. The second pack goes the same way only with a bit more tobacco...then twisted and the last pack is a bit less tobacco and twisted again and then packed tighter with my thumb. After it's lit I'll smoke it down until it goes out ( and it will ) then I tamp it down with another light and this has been my "go to" method with only having to relight maybe twice and I use a pipe with a pretty big bowl and can smoke it for at least a good 1/2 hour to 40 minutes. The secret is the twisting of the tobacco together and testing the packed bowl after the first lighting to ensure the bowl isn't too loose or too tight....using the pipe tool to aerate is key to this as well...a good mixture of tobacco/air while you draw on it.


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## OneStrangeOne (Sep 10, 2016)

I don't believe that there is one method that works for everything, there are too many different cuts of tobacco and ways to prepare them.
It takes a bit of time and experimentation for me to figure out what works best with any pipe/tobacco combination.
For most ribbon and shag I use a modification of the Frank method, I will either gravity feed or roll up a pinch into kind of a cylinder and lightly stuff it in to bring it up to the top, then take another pinch and ball that up tightly, sort of a cannonball and gently work it in until there is just a bit of resistance, that is the point to stop, then I simply pick off anything sticking out, mash it lightly and go.
Most flakes I will cube and gravity feed only. I like to cut it to about 1/4 and lightly break it up so that it's still chunky. Sometimes I will fold and stuff, I need more practice with that tho.


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